Sheet-feeding apparatus



June 21, 1927. A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1924 3 Sheets-5heet 1 =EE E; E I Ei555;

I gwmnto'a az'beri' firoadmje' June 21 9 7- s Sheats-Sht 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1924 A BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS I m IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII gwuentoc Junie 21, 1927; 1,632,945

Patented June 21, 1927.

N -l TED ENT ERIC-E A ER DM E 0 ARR SBUR PENNSYLVANIA, assIeNon TO THE W. -o.

HICKOK MEG. co, 0F:HARRISBURG,)PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION organic SYLVANIA.

SHEET-FEEDING errimarrns.

Application-filed October 8,.51924. :Serial Nod 12,402.

desirable that the sheet delivering-meansbe located at a predetermined d stance from the top of the pile m order to obtain the.

best-delivering action. However, the sheets are often distorted, buckled or Warped, and consequently the surtace of the pilethat is beneath the {delivery device varies-inits disi tance from the-delivery devicewhen the-controlling element rests upon tlie'end ot the pile opposite tot-hatdirectly operated on by the sheet-delivery device. One of the primary objects of thepresent invention'is to provide a mechz'inis n that Will have its: controlling member adjacent to the sheet deliverv device, so that the surface acted on by the latter will always b-ein substantially the same horizontal plane-as that engaged by the goterning element.

' In the1.accompanyi11g drawings,

Figure 1 is a sideelevationot a't'eeding apparatus equipped With't-he novel structure, Figure 2" is a topplan vie'w of'thesame, Figure 3 is a verticalsectional-view on an enlarged. scale and} taken 1 substantially ;-on theline 3 3 ofFig. 2,

'Figure 4 is a detail sectional view sh'owing'the mounting of the driving cam,

.liigures 5, 6 and 7 are dl-agramma'tic views illustrating the unchanging position of the governing element, irrespective otthe character of the surface of the pilefromwhich the sheets are fed. 5

In the embodiment disclosed, a suitable frame 8 is employed, inWvhich isslid'ably beveled gears, are in mesh with other beveled gears 12 carried by a horizontal shat-t 13 that projects from one-sideot the bracket and is provided on its projecting endwith a ratchet wheel 14. An arm 15,; pivoted on the 'slraltl is providedwvith a pawl lti adapted to engage the teeth of the-ratchet Wheel 14, and "effect a step-by-step-rotation ot the ratchet Wl1eel- \vl1nthe arm 15' is swung.

Therotation of the ratchet Wheel, in turn, .e'llects the rotation of the shatt 13, 1and through gearslll and 12 causes the rotation 0t theshafts 10, to thereby elevate the table .9,in a manner v ellunderstood.

Carried-by .outstanding horizontal arms 17 iofjtheg frame 8 are-spaced head plates 18, and extending across the space between said head plates and over the & front end of, I the table 9 is ashaft 19.

.Mount d on this a shaft is a sheet delivery :delvice, ipreterablv' inthe form of a suction ill) roller 20. This roller maybe otthet ypegdis I closed in. and, covered by. my ,former; Patent, :No. 1,49 h803, May 18,} 1924, and nofnrther detailed, -desc1ip iO 1 and showi g o h same isbelieved to benecessaryin connection with the presentinvenjtion. Theshaft .19,..Wl1;bCl1 mayflbe considered the driving shaft of the apparatus, projects beyond the head plate 18 on the side gotthe machine having thefratchetuwvheeli 14.,and pawl 16, ,andJou-rnaled on said projecting end o'f-said shattis a drivingcam 21. .Saidhead plate also has a guide box.22.in which is slidably -mo unted an.,actuating p1u'nger23 having a :roller bearing '24 ,onthelu'pper," face ,of'the cam 21... This plunger 23 :is. Lalsopprefenably .p-rovigledzwith a. loop portion 25 inv Which is engaged the end-mfg the :shaft; 19, said loop portion andishaft thus acting. as a guid'e ftor theQuppeL-end-Jof. theplunger. Mounted, on

r-theiflovver endofhsaid plunger is a coiled springc26 -tl1at1bears,- .agai1'1stathe lourerend of. .the box- 522;. and. against a collar 27 fixed upon the lowerend' ,ot the. plunger. and serv- 'ing tomove. theplunger downwardly after its elevation;-by .the cam: 21. .iAubll crank .1ever1281is fulcrumed at 29,011 the .headplate :18,.and0ne arm 3'0..thereof has a slotted engagement: S1-v with pin 32. carried: by, the plunger. 2 The other arm 33. of the bell crank isxslotted,.and in .said.-s1otislengaged the ,1 pi-votilt of ia. link 35-.thatis pivotethas shown at36, to the lower end of the pavvhca-rrying arm 15. T

LOCRtBClwilt *the delivery, side of ,the. suctiona'oller. 20 is. a conveyer, comprising an endlesslbelt, apportion. of Whichisshown at 137,. and 2 this belt passes around a 1'z011er,38. Thenoller isdriven from the yshatt lllby a train, 0t gears; '39 .-extending from I said. shaft, to ;;the :IOlleIH-atl the rear side; of the apparatus. The j-tront end} of the ro1ler::38, is .operdropping of the active operation of said plunger. A rock shaft 19 and consequently of the suction roller 20.

The plunger 23 has fixed theretoan offset stop lug 41 adapted to be engaged by a hooked latch 42, pivoted at 43 on the head plate 18, said latch being movable to a position beneath the lug 41 to prevent the the plunger and consequently shaft 44, journaled in the head plate, carries a depending arm 45, in the lower end of which engaged a link 46, and this link has a loose play connection 47 with the latch 42. Preferablv an adjustable weight 48 is mounted on the rock shaft 44 and serves to swing the arm 45 and link 46 outwardly so ed to rest on the top of a pile of sheets placed on the table 9 at the front end of said pile, and preferably in substantial alignment with the suction roller 20;

The cam 21, as shown in Figure 4 is fixed to a sleeve 21 journaled on the shaft and in the head plate 18. On the inner end of this sleeve is fixed an oppositely disposed cam 21 on which rides a roller 21 carried by an arm 21 that is fixed in turn to the rock shaft 24. This cam 21, acting on the arm 21 and thereby on the rock shaft 44 serves to periodically ease the weight of the parts on the paper pile.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol lows: Assuming the shaft 19 is being rotated and the suction roller in action, it willbe evident that said roller will remove sheets successively from the top of the pile and deliver them to the conveyer 38, this conveyer operating synchronously .with the shaft 19, and in'turn' driving through the train of gears: 40 the cam 41 at about half the speed of the roller 20. As said cam 21 rotates the plunger 23 will be alternately elevated and released to permit the'spring 26 to move it downwardly. Assuming that the latch 42-is out of the path of the lug 41, a downward movement of said plunger swings the bellcrank into position to move the arm 15 rearwardly and causethe pawl 16 to pass. over one or morelteeth of the ratchet wheel 14. 7 "As the cam continues to of the ratchet wheel14, the shaft 13 and the screw shafts 10. This Wlll. effects, slight elevationofthe'table 9 andoffthe pile of 7 paper thereupon. Thisupward movement for the following reasons.

will be continued until the top of the pile swings the controller arm 46 sufficiently to permit the hooked latch 42 to move beneath the lug 41, whereupon the plunger 23 will be prevented from dropping and the eleva- 1 tion of the table Wlll be stopped. As soon as a sufiicient number of sheets have been delivered from the top of the pile by the roller 20, the arm 45" dropping will cause" 'of the table will take place.

The arrangement disclosed is important As already stated itis desirable that-the suction roller 20 be maintained at a predetermined distance from the top of the pile of sheets inorder that the feeding action will be most effective. By referring to Figures 5, 6 and 7, it will be noted that with the present structure this distance will be substantially maintained, irrespective of the character of the sheets in the pile. Thus in Figure 5, the pile of sheets A is shown as having their front ends upturned, making the front end of the pile thicker than the rear portion.

The governor, 46, resting on the front end of the pile, maintains said end at a predetermined distance from the roller 20. The next pile, or it may be a portion thereof, is shown in Figure 6 as being ofsheets B absolutely horizontal. The front end thereof beneath the suction roller 20 is maintained at the same distance from the roller as in Figure 5, while the rear portion of the pile, it will be noted, will be substantially higher than a pileof the formation shown in Figure 5. If a controller were used therefore that rested on the rear portions of the piles, obvious "ly the sheets in Figure 5 would be much closer to the suction roller 20 than when the pilewas of the formation shown in Figure .6, and with the present structure this difference is obviated. The same is true in the formation shown in Figure 7, wherein the pile of sheets C is thinner at the front end beneath the suction roller 20 than at the rear end. \Vith the present structure the than in eitherFigures 5 or 6. The provi 81011 of means for driving the cam 21 at a slower rate of speed than the suction roller has also been found very desirable for the reason that as the mechanism operates with considerable rapidity, if thecam 21 were fixed to the shaft 19 the upward feed is so sudden that'there is a tendency when the surface of the pile is brought up. quickly, for the suction roller to take off two sheets at a time. This arrangement materially lessens the possibility of this taking place.

iii)

Frointhe foregoing, it. isethought that the construction,- operation and many advan tages-of the hereinv described invention will be apparent to those sliilledinthe art,-without further descriptiomandit ivil lbe under stoodthat variouscha'nges in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of: construetion may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention;

\Vhat I claim, is:

1. In sheet feeding apparatus,- the combination witha vertically. movable sheet supporting table, of means mounted above one -m'argin of the table for removing sheets therefrom, andautom'atic mechanism for elevating the table includin a controlling de vice having a portion that. rests upon the pile of sheets placed. on. the table, and saidv portion being located alongside: the sheet removing means in substantial line therewith and above the same margin of the table over which said sheet removing means is located.

In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a vertically movable sheet supporting table, of a rotary suction roller mounted above one margin of the table for removing sheets therefrom, and automatic mechanism for elevating the table, including a swinging controlling arm having a free end that rests upon the pile of sheets placed on the table, said free end being located at one end of the roller in substantial line therewith and above the same margin of the table as the roller.

3. In sheet feedingapparatus, the combination with a vertically movable sheet supporting table, of means for removing sheets therefrom, means for elevating the table, including a reciprocatory plunger, a cam for moving the plunger in one direction, a latch for holding the plunger against movement in the other direction, and a device for moving the latch out of position to hold the plunger, said device being located above the table and in the path of a pile of sheets placed thereon.

i. In sheet feedin amarat-us the com-- bination with a vertically movable sheet supporting table, of means for removing sheets therefrom, means for elevating the table, including a reciprocatory plunger, a cam for moving the plunger in one direction, a latch for holding the plunger against movement in the other direction, and a device for moving the latch out of position to hold the plunger, said device being located adjacent to the end of the table from which said sheets are removed.

' 5. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a vertically movable sheet supporting table, of a rotary suction roll above one end thereof for removing sheets there from, means for elevating the table, including a ratchet wheel, a pawl operating on the ratchet. wheel, a reciprocatory plungerfor operating the pawl, and a cam for moving the plunger one direction, a latch for holding the plunger against an operative movement in the other direction, and a governor arm connected to the latch for moving it to an inoperative position, said governor arm having a free end that is in the path of the end of the pile and the end of the table over which the suction roll is located.

6. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a movable sheet delivering device, of means for presenting sheets in position to, be delivered thereby, operating mechanism for said sheet presenting means, including. a constantly rotating drivingniember, and means for constantly moving said sheet-delivering device and rotating said driving member at different rates of speed. I i

7. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable sheet delivering device, of means for presenting sheets in position to be delivered'thereby, operating mechanism for said sheet presenting means, including a rotatable driving member, and means for constantly rotating the driving member at a lower rate of speed than the sheet delivering device, 7

8. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable sheet delivering device, of means for presenting sheets to be delivered thereby, operating mechanism for said sheet delivering device, including a rotary driving member coaxial with the sheet delivering device, and gearing between the sheet delivering device and operating memher for driving one at a different speed from the other.

9.,In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable sheet delivering device, of means for presenting sheets to be delivered thereby, a shaft on which the device is mounted, operating mechanism for said sheet delivering device, including a rotary driving member loosely journaled on the shaft, and gearing between the sheet delivering device and operating member for driving one at a different speed from the other. i

10. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable sheet delivering suction roller, of means for presenting sheets in position to be delivered thereby, a shaft carrying said roller, operating mechanism for said sheet-presenting means, including a reciprocatory operating member, and a cam journale'd on the shaft and acting on said member, a conveyer for the sheets including a roller, gearing between the shaft and roller, and gearing between the roller and cam, said gearing effecting the rotation of the shaft and cam at different rates of speed.

11. In sheet feeding apparatus, the comlit) bination with a rotatable sheet delivery device, of means for presenting sheets to be delivered thereby, rotatable operating mechanism for said sheet-presenting means, a movable controller for said operating mechanism, rotatable mechanism for operating the controller, and means for rotating said operating mechanism for the sheet presenting means and controller at lower rates of speed than the sheet delivering device.

12. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotary driving shaft, of a rotary suction feeding head mounted thereon, means for presenting sheets to said head, operating mechanism for said means, including a movable actuating member, a cam journaled on the shaft for operating said actuating member, a controller latch for holding the actuating member against move ment, means for operating the latch including a cam fixed to the first cam, and means for driving the cams at a lower rate of speed than the shaft and suction feedinghead.

13. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable suction roller and movable means for presenting a body of sheets thereof, of mechanism for elfecting the intermittent movement of said sheet resenting means, including a pawl andratc et,

ating on said second arm, and a third arm' on the rock shaft having means for operating the swinging controlling arm.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER.

DISCLAIMER 1,632,945.Albert Broadmeyer, Harrisburg, Pa. SHEET-FEEDING APPARATUS. Patent dated June 21, 1927. Disclaimer filed October 11, 1929, by the patentee and assignee, W. O. Hickok Mfg. 0'0.

Hereby enter this disclaimer to claim 13 appearing in the specification of said patent, N 0. 1,632,945, and which is in the following words, to wit:

13. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a rotatable suction roller and movable means for presenting a body of sheets thereof, of mechanism for effecting the intermittent movement of said sheet presenting means, including a pawl and ratchet, a swinging arm for controlling the operation of the mechanism by said pawl and ratchet, a rock shaft, an arm carried by the rock shaft and having a portion adapted to rest on the sheets alongside the suction roller, a second arm on the rock shaft, a cam operating on said second arm, and a third arm on the rock shaft having means for operating the swinging controlling arm,

[Ofiicial Gazette October 29, 1.929] 

